Fans streamed to pay their last respects to the author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude," taking pictures as a string quartet played classical music.

Guests applauded when his widow, Mercedes Barcha, and sons, Rodrigo and Gonzalo, stood as honor guards at the ornate cultural center, where Mexico pays tribute to its late artistic icons.

The presidents of Mexico and Colombia delivered speeches to honor the giant of Latin American literature, who influenced generations of Spanish-language writers.

"We join together to pay tribute to the one who, from icy Stockholm in December 1982, touched the world by speaking about solitude in Latin America," said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, referring to the day the author received his Nobel prize.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto called him "the greatest Latin American novelist of all time."

"We, Mexicans, love him and will always love him," he said. Known affectionately as "Gabo," Garcia Marquez died Thursday in the Mexico City house where he lived for decades with his wife and two sons. He was 87.

In a statement after Garcia Marquez`s death, his wife and sons said they were moved by the "huge number of gestures, comments and messages from admirers and readers from around the world" who "expressed their love for Gabo more than the sadness of losing him."

Earlier inside, some of the guests danced as a three-piece band played folk songs from his native Colombia with an accordion, drum and guacharaca, a percussion instrument.

Garcia Marquez first moved to Mexico in 1961 and it was here that the veteran journalist wrote his seminal novel, a family and historical saga that was published in 1967.

The cause of his death has not been disclosed but he died a week after a bout of pneumonia.

Garcia Marquez was also remembered in his native Colombia. A small march took place in front of his childhood house in the Caribbean-coast region town of Aracataca, with people dressed in white and holding marigolds in his honor.

The family has not said where the author`s final resting place will be but Colombia hopes his ashes will be divided between his homeland and Mexico.